


Share a Coke with...

by triggeringthehealing (froggydarren)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Vernon Boyd & Erica Reyes, Alpha Derek, Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, mating is kind of a thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-27
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-02-15 00:27:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2208759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froggydarren/pseuds/triggeringthehealing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>It's deliberate that he doesn't look for his own name. Erica has been badgering him to get a bottle for the collection on their window -- hers, Isaac's and Boyd's are lined up in the loft's kitchen already, Diet versions that Derek is pretty sure Erica spent weeks looking for -- and she growls whenever he brings a Zero or Diet home with a different name.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>based on the last prompt in <a href="http://froggydarren.tumblr.com/post/95902651214">this post</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Share a Coke with...

It's deliberate that he doesn't look for his own name. Erica has been badgering him to get a red label one for the collection on their window -- hers, Isaac's and Boyd's are lined up in the loft's kitchen already, Diet versions that Derek is pretty sure Erica spent weeks looking for -- and she growls whenever he brings a Zero or Diet home with a different name. It's not that Derek is somehow morally opposed to regular Coke, but he's been teasing her a little on purpose, since she insisted that as the Alpha, his _needs_ to be a red label.

The name he picks is one he can't even pronounce, on the black Zero label, and he knows it'll be enough to set her off again. It amuses Boyd and Isaac too, the way she grumbles for at least ten minutes, so Derek tells himself it's teasing that's for the greater pack good. Or something. Either way, he drops the bottle into his basket, then rolls his eyes at the bigger ones marked with "mate" and turned with the labels out. He doesn't want to dwell on just how many humans revel in bringing those bottles home to their werewolf partners in the desperate hope that it's true.

Mating with a were isn't a common thing, but it's newly popular because of some celebrity going on record about finding their mate in a regular human. Derek thinks it was a publicity stunt, but he can't tell for sure -- he only knows that finding one is rare, that even mates don't always recognize each other at first sight. It's not the magical soulmate finding moment that the media makes it out to be, and he guesses a lot of people, human and supernatural alike, are and will be bitterly disappointed.

"Oh shit," someone mumbles behind Derek when he finally finds a line that's not looking like it will take forever. "Crap," the voice adds with an exasperated sigh.

Derek glances back over his shoulder and his eyes narrow at the boy behind him. He doesn't look all that young, but definitely only just old enough to buy the beer he's clutching to his chest, a bottle of Coke balancing on top of it. When their eyes meet, Derek lifts an eyebrow with curiosity as the boy startles and the Coke bottle almost rolls off.

"Shit, sorry, I didn't… it's just…" the boy speaks like he's been prompted to explain himself, and continues to ramble while Derek keeps staring."The Coke you've got there… I just didn't think I'd ever find one and now you have it and I was sort of wondering… but I can't ask because it's _weird_ …"

The boy's cheeks are stained with a blush and he looks down towards Derek's basket. His eyelashes spread over his cheeks and Derek finds himself fascinated with the way they fan out, almost as much as the boy's big bright eyes were captivating moments earlier. He shakes his head to get rid of the confusing thoughts that are swarming his brain, and he looks at the bottle the boy continues to ramble about.

"This one?" Derek asks and pulls the bottle out, then glances at the label again and tries to decipher the name.

"Yeah, I… that's my name on there," the boy says and his blush darkens. "I mean, not that anyone besides Scott and my Dad know that, and authority figures since I can't change it legally, but it's… I didn't even think it existed and now it's there and…"

"You can have it," Derek says easily -- he still can't read the name, and it's not like he's attached to the label even though the amusement would've been nice.

"Seriously? You're really willing to… wait, dude, I can just swap you if you want," the boy says with a tone of excitement. "I mean, I just picked up one randomly, so for all I know it has one of those lame 'mate' labels," he nods towards the bottle on top of his beer pack.

Derek's eyes turn to the bottle, and the moment he gets enough of a glimpse of the label, his eyes widen in surprise.

"What's it say, anyway," the boy -- Derek thinks he should ask how to pronounce his name -- asks curiously, the name on the label just out of his sight. "I hope it's nothing too embarrassing, though it would be just my luck for it to say 'take me' or some shit like that. Not that I wouldn't, because dude you're like the hottest thing ever and can we now just pretend this isn't happening?"

The laugh that bubbles up in Derek's chest is the most genuine he's felt in a long time.

"You wouldn't find your name on a Coke bottle then, though," he points out to the boy. "Neither would I," he adds and swaps the bottles, then glances at the red label in his hand.

"Oh," the boy's face shows his surprise again and this time he's the one lifting an eyebrow.

Derek takes it as his cue to turn the label so the boy can read it. When he sees the smile reach all the way up to the big hazel eyes, Derek doesn't miss the way he suddenly feels warm and settled.

"Derek," the boy says in a whisper. "Nice, it… it suits you."

"Thanks," Derek replies automatically, then glances at the bottle he had before. "How do you… what _is_ your name anyway? I can't read that," he nods towards it.

"I'm Stiles," the boy says and laughs when he sees the confusion in Derek's face, since that's most definitely _not_ the name on the Coke. "Pronouncing my name -- thanks parenting units, thanks so much -- is like, level twenty on the knowing me scale, really. Took my best friend years of learning, and I think my Dad's the only one who can. It's like, gold star, saved the princess repeatedly kind of an achievement."

Derek realizes that not only does it sound like a _challenge_ , but that it's also something he wouldn't mind trying to reach.

"Stiles," he tries the nickname first, lets it roll off his tongue, and it feels… right. "Is there a prince or princess as a reward for completing that level?"

It barely hits Derek that he's _flirting_ , that he is very much interested in this boy -- Stiles -- and for once it doesn't feel like he's being forced into something. He's actively avoided any inevitable situations that would make him put up with interest from anyone, but now… now he wants. Not that he knows what it is, but as long as it includes Stiles in some shape or form, Derek figures it'll do.

"You… dude… what?" Stiles stutters, and almost drops his load again, then he stares at Derek with complete bafflement.

"I like challenges," Derek says with a smile and a shrug.

"Oh," Stiles' face drops a little, and Derek immediately regrets his choice of words.

"I mean, I'd…" he takes a deep breath, and steels himself for whatever response his words will get. "Would you like to share that Coke? With me?"

"Fuck yes," Stiles blurts out and immediately turns beet red. "Okay, that was embarrassing, but _dude_ , seriously?"

Derek nods and he can feel the relief wash over him.

"You two are going to have to _pay_ for those Cokes if you want to share them," the cashier pulls them out of the bubble they are in, and it's only then that Derek realizes that they somehow managed to shuffle towards the register.

"Sorry," he mumbles and hands over the basket.

He tries to avoid the cashier's looks, her eyes filled with amusement at the way both Derek and Stiles are squirming with awkwardness. When his groceries are packed and he's paid, Derek shifts out of the way to let Stiles pay for his beer _and_ the Coke that started it all.

"So, uh…" Stiles starts when they're both at the front door.

"About the offer, it's still there, if you want," Derek says quietly, the anxious feeling rising in his chest again.

" _If_ I want? Duh," Stiles replies, then digs into his pocket and pulls his phone out. "I mean, I don't have any plans now, but that might be a bit… but whenever you want to, just, phone number?"

It takes Derek a moment to decipher Stiles' rambling -- he's already aware of how appealing he finds it -- and then he gets his own phone out and hands it to Stiles.

"Yeah, sure," Derek says as he takes Stiles' phone and starts typing his number into the contacts app. "Now sounds okay, though, I don't have anywhere to be," he adds then, hesitant because he doesn't want to look overeager, and he's still a little cautious.

The smile that lights up Stiles' face is worth it, though, and when their fingers brush as they're exchanging the phones again, Derek can feel a blush creeping into his own cheeks. His eyes dart away from Stiles, and land on the display of the store, with a pyramid of Coke bottles all facing out with the word 'mate'.

 _Huh_ , Derek thinks, _maybe…_


End file.
